Little Smarty-Pants

"Director, when did we acquire Iron Armor technology?"

After the meeting ended, Hill approached Nick Fury and asked curiously.

"Not yet."

Nick Fury calmly shook his head. After glancing at Hill, he said coolly, "Did you notify the military? We need to gather our forces and drive these aliens off Earth. Call every force S.H.I.E.L.D. can currently mobilize to New York. Those aliens don’t look all that strong."

He had thought the alien army would be formidable, but seeing Iron Man’s weapons mow through them like cutting vegetables instantly filled Nick Fury with confidence.

They were this weak, yet they dared invade? Were they kidding?

Nick Fury was confident that if the alien army was all this weak, America’s military could wipe them all out.

"Understood."

Hill was speechless. So he had been bluffing them?

Still, she had learned something new…

"Assemble all Quinjets and combat personnel. S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to show off its strength too!"

Nick Fury declared spiritedly, then headed for his office.

"Understood!"

Watching Nick Fury’s retreating figure, Hill hurried back to her post to make the arrangements as quickly as possible.

"Director, if you agree to my terms, I’ll give you the complete technology for a suit of armor. And I’ll throw in a piece of information as well."

After returning to his office, Nick Fury locked the door behind him and sat expressionlessly in his office chair. Across from him sat a scruffy man with a toothpick in his mouth, staring at Nick Fury with a vicious gaze.

Ivan Vanko.

"I’ll create an opportunity for you, on the condition that you hand over the technical data first."

In truth, this was the source of the confidence Nick Fury had shown earlier when speaking to the Security Council about possessing armor manufacturing technology.

He had already reached an agreement with Ivan Vanko. If he helped Ivan Vanko create an opportunity for revenge, he would receive a complete set of armor technology from him.

For Nick Fury, that was hardly difficult.

Although Tony seemed more valuable, Nick Fury had been unable to get any tangible benefits from him and was gradually losing patience. Besides, he and Tony had fallen out somewhat aboard the Helicarrier earlier, so Nick Fury cared even less about the methods he used.

He intended to create an opportunity for Ivan Vanko in exchange for armor technology.

Moreover, because of the alien invasion, he had recently reconnected with an old friend. With that friend’s technology, it should be easy enough to crack Ivan Vanko’s designs, upgrade the armor he provided, and make it more combat-capable.

He had also been planning to meet this old friend in person. As for all these messy matters, he had decided to put them off for now.

"A verbal promise is enough for you to demand the technology first?"

Ivan Vanko watched Nick Fury with an amused expression, a trace of displeasure flashing through his eyes.

"Do you think you have any other choice?"

Nick Fury remained calm as he looked coldly at Ivan Vanko.

Indeed, this was S.H.I.E.L.D.’s headquarters. Ivan Vanko had dared to come alone, which had to be called excessively bold.

"Haha, I like that look of yours, like everything is already in your grasp."

Ivan Vanko laughed maniacally. He said nothing more, took a USB drive from his bag, and tossed it onto Nick Fury’s desk. Smiling, he continued, "Also, after I get my revenge, I’ll give you a piece of information. Haha, that information will definitely be more important to you than the armor technology."

"Is that so? I’ve already sent Rumlow a message. Later, just follow the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to New York and find him. He’ll create an opportunity for you."

Nick Fury put away the USB drive with a satisfied nod, signaling for Ivan Vanko to leave first.

"…"

Rumlow?

Ivan Vanko’s face darkened, but he merely shrugged indifferently and headed for the door.

Ivan Vanko had planned that if Nick Fury could create an opportunity for revenge, he would casually tell him about Hydra. But now that Nick Fury had arranged for Rumlow, Hydra’s undercover agent, to help him, Ivan Vanko was utterly speechless.

Forget it. It doesn’t matter who helps me, as long as I can get my revenge.

Still, Nick Fury truly lived up to his reputation. In his eyes, only benefits mattered. As far as he was concerned, as long as the profit was great enough, selling out Tony Stark was no big deal.

As for Ivan Vanko blowing up the Helicarrier?

That was nothing. The carrier could be rebuilt, but if he missed this chance, there would be no other opportunity to obtain armor technology. Even if the armor Ivan Vanko provided might not match China’s Kirin Armor, or even Tony’s Mark Armor, S.H.I.E.L.D. could upgrade and modify it as long as it had the foundation. Nick Fury had great confidence in his organization’s research capabilities.

Besides, the Helicarrier had already been smashed beyond recognition by Abomination. The cost of repairing it might have been even higher than building a new one, so blowing it up was no great loss.

There were no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

Ivan Vanko could bring benefits, so Nick Fury was naturally willing to cooperate with him.

As for what Ivan Vanko would do after getting his revenge?

Heh, would he even have another chance?

Nick Fury was no saint. In his plan, whether Ivan Vanko succeeded in getting revenge or failed, he would dispose of him at the first opportunity.

Ivan Vanko was a potential enemy with formidable scientific research capabilities, and he was also a madman. Nick Fury would never allow someone beyond his control to continue existing.

"But what kind of information could possibly be more important than armor technology?…"

Nick Fury could not help being deeply concerned about the information Ivan Vanko had mentioned.

To be honest, when he had outrageously demanded armor technology outright, he had not held much hope. It had merely been a probe, nothing more than asking for an absurdly high price. What he had not expected was for Ivan Vanko to simply give it to him…

And the only reason for that was that the information Ivan Vanko possessed was even more valuable?

"Forget it. Rumlow will remain by Ivan Vanko’s side anyway. I want to see what secret Ivan Vanko has that he’s being so mysterious about."

Nick Fury had great confidence in Rumlow’s abilities. He was a super agent no worse than Black Widow or Hawkeye. Getting a piece of information from Ivan Vanko would be so easy!

The information Ivan Vanko possessed was actually that Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. Yet Nick Fury had sent Rumlow, a veteran Hydra agent, to investigate that information. If those two ever found out, they would probably both be left speechless.

Sending a Hydra agent to investigate information about Hydra?

Only you, Nick Fury, could pull something like that off. It had to be said, Nick Fury really was a little smarty-pants.

PS: It’s the last day of the month. Please send some gifts—use the free love-powered ones… If ten thousand readers each sent one, that would be a thousand bucks. Why the hell would I keep working? I could just write full-time.

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